WEBVTT ANTHONY: THE SHOULDER SEASON IN WATERBURY AND STOWE, VERMONT IS A MELLOW TIME OF YEAR. EVEN THE COWS AND DEER LOOK BAFFLED WHEN WE TOP FOR A PHOTO OPPORTUNITY. LOCALS LOVE IT. A BREATHER BETWEEN THE CRUSH OF SKIERS AND THE SUMMER CROWDS. WHAT WE CALL BUSY IS IF THERE ARE THREE CARS LINED UP AT THE STOP SIGN WHERE YOU HAVE TO NOD AT SOMEONE AND TAKE TURNS. ANTHONY: THE BIG STORY IN STOWE RIGHT NOW, WILL THE NEW BRIDGE CONNECTING THE VILLAGE TO THE MOUNTAIN BE DONE BY MEMORIAL DAY. THE OWNERS OF STOWE CRAFT GALLERY ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE NEW BRIDGE. TRUCKS CROSSING THE OLD RICK ITY SPAN RATTLE THEIR STORE JUST FEET AWAY. THE GALLERY IS FILLED WITH COLORFUL WITH WHIMSICAL ONE OF A KIND ART, EXQUISITE BLOWN GLASS, DELICATE TEXTILES, HAND MADE GOLD JEWELRY. STEVEN FISHMAN AND HIS WIFE SUSAN SCOUR THE COUNTRY FOR BOLD COLLECTIBLES. EVERYTHING WE HAVE IS MADE BY ARTISTS WHO ARE WORKING IN THEIR STUDIOS LIKE CRAFTSMEN USED TO DO, WHO MADE EVERYTHING IN AMERICA BEFORE. WE HAVE PROBABLY 30 OR 40 DIFFERENT VERMONTERS AND WE ALSO HAVE WORK FROM HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE ALL OVER AMERICA. ANTHONY: HE SAYS EVERY PIECE TELLS A STORY AND THERE ARE HUNDREDS TO. HIS STOWE CRAFT GALLERY USED TO INDICATER TO WALK-IN TOURISTS, TODAY HIS INTERNET BUSINESS SPAN AS CROSS THE NATION. VERMONT IS ITS OWN BRAND AND THIS BEING THE GREEN MOUNTAIN STATE THERE ARE HAND WOVEN HAMMOCKS FOR LADIESY AFTERNOON NAPS, SILK SCREENS OF COWS GALORE, AND SCULPTURES. VERMONT IS KIND OF A DOG PLACE, IT SEEMS, THOUGH I'M TOLD THERE ARE MORE CAT LOVERS HERE THAN DOG LOVERS. BUT HERE IN STOWE WE SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE RUNNING WITH THEIR DOGS, SKIING WITH THEIR DOGS, HIKING WITH THEIR DOGS. ANTHONY: BACK IN WATERBURY NOW WE'RE OFF TO VISIT A BREWERY THAT'S REVERED LIKE A SHRINE BY BEER GEEKS. THE ALCHEMIST MAKES TWO BREWS, BUT IT'S THEIR HEADY TOPPER THAT PROMPTS NEAR HYSTERIA EACH WEEK WHEN A NEW SHIPMENT IS RELEASED TO STORES IN A 30-MILE RADIUS. THE BREWERY USED TO HAVE A TASTING ROOM FOR THEIR DOUBLE INDIA PALE ALE. BUT HEADY TOPE MANIA FORCED THEM TO BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES. THE CROWDS BECAME UNMANAGEABLE FOR US. A COUPLE WEEKS BEFORE WE ENDED UP CLOSING OUR RETAIL SHOP HERE BECAUSE THE SPACE COULDN'T ACCOMMODATE THE CROWDS, WE WOULD COME IN AT 9:00, OUR SHOP WASN'T SUPPOSED TO OPEN UNTIL 11:00 AND WE'D HAVE TWO TO 300 PEOPLE IN LINE, IT WAS INSANE. ANTHONY: THE INSANITY STARTED WHEN THE BEER ADVOCATE, THE ONLINE BIBLE OF THE BREW WORLD, RATED HEADY TOPPER NUMBER ONE IN AMERICA. IPA'S, LET ALONE DOUBLE APA'S CAN BE TOO HOPPY AND BITTER FOR SOME BEER DRINKERS. BUT THIS MAGIC FORMULA, WHICH THE FOUNDER CONCOCTED OVER TWO DECADES KNOCKED IT OUT OF THE PARK. THE EXPERTS SCORING HEADY TOPPER A PERFECT 100. IT IS INTENSELY HOPPY, I WANT THAT VERY RICH HOP FLAVOR IN THERE, I LOVE THE AROMA. I WANT IT VERY DRINKABLE, I WANT IT A PURCHASABLE, I'M NOT GOING TO DUMB IT DOWN FOR THE MASSES, I WANT TO BRING THEM UP ALONG FOR THE RIDE WHERE I WANT TO TAKE IT. ANTHONY: THE ALCHEMIST MAKES ONLY 1900 CASES OF HEADY TOPPER A WEEK, ROUGHLY 45,000, 16-OUNCE CANS, BECAUSE IT'S UNFILTERED AND UNPASTEURIZED THEY INSIST THEIR BEER BE STORED AND ENJOYED AT A PERFECT FROSTY TEMPERATURE, WHICH IS WHY HEADY TOPPER AND FOCAL BANGER, THE OTHER IPA, ARE NOT SHIPPED FAR. WE HAVE TOTAL CONTROL OVER OUR BEER. WE PACKAGE IT, IT'S PUT INTO OUR REFRIGERATED TRUCK, WE DELIVER IT, OUR DRIVER PUTS IT INTO THE COOLER AT THE RETAIL STORE AND IT'S SOLD THAT DAY. SO IF YOU'RE BUYING HEADY TOPPER FROM ONE OF OUR RETAILERS WE CAN GUARANTEE IT WAS BREWED WITHIN THREE WEEKS BEFORE AND THAT IT'S FRESH. ANTHONY: HOW CAN YOU WRAP YOUR HANDS AROUND ONE OF THESE SILVER VESSELS OF GOLDEN GOODNESS? THE ALCHEMISTS POSTS A SCHEDULE ONLINE SHOWING WHERE AND WHEN THE BEER WILL BE AVAILABLE. MERCIFULLY THERE ARE ABOUT TO BREAK GROUND ON A SECOND PLANT THAT WILL HAVE ADEQUATE SPACE TO QUENCH THEIR THIRSTY FANDOM. IT WILL BE ANOTHER PRODUCTION BREWERY AND WE'LL HAVE RETAIL SPACE, WE'LL HAVE A PROPERTY THAT IS MEN TO RECEIVE THE VOLUME OF PEOPLE THAT WE STARTED TO ATTRACT. WHAT THE BEER HAS ALLOWED US TO DO IS WHAT WE TAKE THE MOST PRIDE IN. TAKING CARE OF OUR EMPLOYEES, TAKING CARE OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND THAT DEFINITELY DRIVES US TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD, EXPANDING IN A RESPONSIBLE WAY. J.C.: CLEARLY THEY ARE VERY PARTICULAR ABOUT THE WAY THE BEER IS HANDLED. I'M NOT A BEER DRINKER, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING WAS YOU NEVER DRINK OUT OF A CAN, YOU ALWAYS POUR IT INTO THE GLASS, SOME PEOPLE LIKE THE FROSTED GLASS. ANTHONY: WRONG YOU ARE, DAUGHTER OF MONAHAN. THEY ARE VERY SPECIFIC ABOUT THE FRESHNESS AND HOW COLD IT IS, SO THEY WANT YOU TO DRINK IT OUT OF THE CAN. IN FACT THERE ARE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE CAN SAYING DON'T PUT THIS INTO A GLASS. NOT INEXPENSIVE, $14 FOR A FOUR PACK OF 16-OUNCES CAN, BUT IF YOU FINE IT, DRINK IT OUT OF THE CAN. J.C.: BEN AND JERRY'S EMPLOYEE AMY WELLER SAYS DON'T CALL THEM FANS, THEY'RE FANATICS. WE WERE FLYING INTO BOSTON